Slow Burn
by Angel N Darkness
Summary: Neville is a pro at keeping his emotions and reactions to himself... Written for DADA assignment task 1A on HSoW&W!


A/N: This story will be a oneshot/drabble and it's for DADA Assignment 4 task 1a for… Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own HP!

 **Brief Lesson:**

The Shield Charm

This term refers to a few different spells, but they all act in the same way. They create a magical barrier (or a shield) that deflects physical or magical attacks. Spells can either rebound off the shield—either at back at the caster or off in other directions—or the spells could dissipate as soon as it hits the shield.

 _Protego_

This is this incantation for the simplest shield charm. It's not an easy spell to master, and a lot adult wizards still cannot produce a functional shield charm effectively. Although the magical shield is normally invisible, when spells hit the shield charm and bounce off, they create their own light. This means that the visible shield could be any colour, even if it's only for a brief moment.

 **Task 1a:** Write about a character who uses a lack of emotion and a lack of reaction as a mask to protect themselves. Alternatively, write about someone who uses exaggerated and over the top emotions and reactions to protect themselves.

Extra Prompt: (character) Neville Longbottom

(word) stop

 **Word Count: 572 words**

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Neville Longbottom has always kept his emotions in check because if he didn't then they could be used against him. His uncle had shown him that when he was younger so he got used to holding things in and not letting people know how he truly felt. However, for once his mask was close to cracking. If people couldn't tell what he was feeling, then they couldn't use it against him like he has seen so many others do to other people.

He knew very well that one of these times he was going to blow and when he did that it would also be a mask to protect himself because it would more than likely be an over the top reaction to something. He couldn't seem to stop himself from hiding everything that he felt from everyone around him no matter how hard he tried. He didn't see nor did he understand why a lot of people thought it was alright to go around using other people's feelings or words against the person they were attacking whether it be verbally or even mentally.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts even as he kept his face impassive when Draco Malfoy came up to him and started in on him. For someone who wore masks he sure could see through everything that Malfoy was doing and saying. He wondered if Malfoy used his reactions and emotions as a mask, but just in a different way the he himself did. As he listened to Malfoy drone on and on he tried to figure the other boy out.

He just didn't understand or maybe he didn't want to understand why Malfoy would go around attacking anyone and everyone verbally. He sometimes wondered if he would have been like Malfoy had he grown up as spoiled as the blonde hair boy so obviously did. He blinked his eyes once at Malfoy and turned on his heel to walk away. He really couldn't listen to the other boy any longer without losing his cool and he knew that if he did end up losing his cool that he would never get his emotions back under control.

He liked who he was as far as not always showing every single emotion that he was feeling. He liked being able to laugh at people in his own head when they thought that they knew him. He knew that the only person who really and truly knew him was Harry and that was because he never had to hold his emotions in check around the boy he considered to be his best friend. He knew that Harry would never use what he said or felt against him because the other boy used a mask as well even though it was a different sort of mask.

He knew that eventually he would give a reaction that wasn't feigned, but he also knew that when he finally did that it would be alright. He was just so used to not showing any emotion or reaction to most things that it was like it was ingrained to his very DNA. He would just keep ignoring those that he could and those that he couldn't he wouldn't let them see a reaction from him. He would do whatever he had to do in order to protect not only himself but those around him.

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A/N 2: *shakes head* So this didn't go the way I thought it would at all, but I do still like it... lmao... Hope you all enjoyed it... Click the button and let me know what you think!


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